Debates and decisions in the Chamber

The Chamber is the heart of the Riksdag. This is where the 349 members of the Riksdag hold debates on important issues and take decisions affecting our everyday lives. Anyone is welcome to watch the debates from the Chamber's Public Gallery.

When it is time for debates and decisions on various proposals, the members of the Riksdag meet in the Chamber.
Photo: Anders Löwdin

When the members of the Riksdag meet, they collectively constitute "the Chamber". But the word "Chamber" is also used to denote the venue for these meetings. The meetings are led by the Speaker or by one of the Deputy Speakers.

Centre for political debate

The Chamber is an important centre for political debate. In the Chamber, all members of the Riksdag and ministers can express themselves freely. However, there are certain restrictions on what may be said. They should not use inappropriate language or use personally insulting expressions. There should be a cordial atmosphere in the Chamber.

In general, openness applies in the Chamber. Anyone is welcome to listen to the debates from the Chamber's Public Gallery, but visitors are not permitted to demonstrate, applaud, whistle, shout or express what they think in any way. The media can follow debates from the press gallery.

All meetings of the Chamber are also recorded. Debates can be viewed live or on demand via the Riksdag webcast service. Some debates are also broadcast live on radio and television.

All proposals are tabled

The Speaker notifies the Chamber in advance of all proposals to be decided on by the Riksdag. This is known as "tabling" of a matter. This procedure is intended to give members of the Riksdag a chance to acquaint themselves with proposals before taking a decision.

Once the Speaker has tabled a proposal, it is sent - referred - to a committee for consideration. The committee studies the proposal and then presents a proposal for a decision by the Riksdag in a committee report. The committee report is tabled and may be taken up for a debate and decision in the Chamber at a later meeting.

Debates on items of parliamentary business

Parliamentary business is matters upon which the Riksdag is to take a decision. The decisions are often preceded by a debate in the Chamber. Some of the Riksdag's major debates are about matters that are dealt with on an annual basis, such as the central government budget.

The matters about which the Riksdag is to take a decision are usually based on proposals from the Government (Government bills) or from members of the Riksdag (private members' motions). They are considered by a parliamentary committee before a debate and decision are held in the Chamber. But the proposals can also be debated at an early stage of the decision-making process.

The Speaker notifies the Chamber of proposals, such as Government bills and private members' motions, at tabling debates. As a rule, tabling takes place without a debate, but a member of the Riksdag can ask to speak. The ensuing debate is known as a tabling debate. Other members can also take part in this debate.

When a private member's motion or a Government bill is to be sent (referred) to a committee, a member of the Riksdag can ask to speak in the Chamber. The ensuing debate is known as a referral debate. Other members of the Riksdag can also take part in this debate. Government bills and private members' motions are normally referred without any debate.

After a Government bill or private member's motion has been referred to a committee, the committee presents its opinions in a committee report, including a proposal as to how the Riksdag should decide on the matter. If the parties have different opinions on a matter, a debate is normally held in the Chamber.

During the debate, members can propose that the Riksdag decide according to the committee majority or according to the proposal presented in the reservation (counter-proposal). This means that the committee's proposal may be set against the proposal put forward in a reservation when a vote is held.

Meetings during which the members of the Riksdag debate matters and take a decision are known as plenary meetings.

The Minister for Finance submits the Spring Fiscal Policy Bill to the Riksdag in April each year. The Riksdag then holds a debate on the Bill's proposals regarding guidelines for Sweden's economic policy and for work with the central government budget in the next budget year.

In September the Minister for Finance presents the Budget Bill to the Riksdag. After the Minister has presented the Bill a debate is held with representatives of all parties. The Budget Bill contains proposals for central government revenue and expenditure.

In May each year the Riksdag holds a debate on the Government's performance of its official duties. The debate is based on the reports submitted by members of the Riksdag to the Committee on the Constitution. Throughout the year members can report ministers to the Committee for inappropriate behaviour.

Decisions concerning items of parliamentary business

When the members have concluded their debate it is time for a decision. Matters are either determined by acclamation or by means of a vote.

The matters about which the Riksdag is to take a decision are usually based on proposals from the Government (Government bills) or from members of the Riksdag (private members' motions). They are considered by a parliamentary committee before a debate and decision are held in the Chamber.

The members of the Riksdag take thousands of decisions each year. Normally when a vote is held there are over 300 members present in the Chamber. A decision is normally taken on a fixed separate date, but sometimes a vote is taken directly after a debate.

Decisions are made in the Chamber. A vote is conducted by the members pressing a voting button on their benches. There are three buttons to choose from: green for "Yes", red for "No" and yellow for "Abstain".
Photo: Anders Löwdin

Voting signal

Every time a vote is to be taken, a signal can be heard throughout the Riksdag. After the first signal the members have exactly eight minutes in which to reach the Chamber. Once they have taken their seats, it is time to take a decision about the matters that have been debated since the last vote was held.

Acclamation

When the Chamber is ready to take a decision on a matter the Speaker asks whether the Chamber says yes to the committee's proposal for a decision. If no member of the Riksdag opposes the proposal, the Speaker establishes that the answer is yes and confirms the decision with a strike of his gavel. This method of taking a decision is known as decision by acclamation. The word acclamation comes from the Latin verb acclamare which means to meet with approval.

A vote is held

If a member of the Riksdag wants the Chamber to vote on a matter he or she can demand that a vote be held. The procedure starts with the Clerk of the Chamber reading the proposal on which the vote is to be held to the Chamber. The members then know whether to vote yes or no, depending on whether they want the proposal of the committee majority or the counter-proposal to win.

Most matters are divided into different sub-proposals (motions). If the Chamber does not agree on several sub-proposals, several votes may be requested on one and the same matter.

The votes are counted

A vote is conducted by the members pressing a voting button on their benches. There are three buttons to choose from: green for "Yes", red for "No" and yellow for "Abstain". The result of the vote is displayed on the screen and display board on the wall behind the rostrum.

If the vote, for some reason, cannot be conducted by using the voting buttons, the vote is held by means of a call of names.

The Speaker can also decide that the vote should be determined by having the members rise from their seats. First those voting yes are asked to rise, and then those voting no. The Speaker then determines which side received the most votes.

Several proposals

Sometimes during a debate on an item of parliamentary business the members have expressed support for several proposals on one and the same matter. In such cases the Chamber can determine which two proposals will go to a final vote by means of preparatory votes. This means that the members vote for two proposals at a time until there is just one proposal left that can be put against the proposal of the committee majority.

How have the members voted?

Information about how each member has voted and which members have been absent can be read after a vote has been held in special lists known as voting records. The voting records are available in Swedish on the Riksdag website.

What happens after a decision has been taken?

After a decision has been taken, the Riksdag sends a written communication to the Government to inform it of its decision. It is the Government's task to ensure that the decision is implemented in the way intended by the Riksdag. The communication from the Riksdag simply contains a brief message about how the Riksdag has voted in relation to the committee's proposal. To find out what the decision was about you have to read the relevant committee report.

Everything is written down

The official reporters of the parliamentary record write down everything that is said in the Chamber. On the day after a debate it is possible to read what was said in the preliminary record on the Riksdag website. Here you can also see how the parties have voted on different matters. The final record is published in writing after a couple of weeks.

Interpellation debates

Interpellations can be submitted in writing and the Minister responds to the question both in writing and orally. The answer is followed by a debate in the Chamber. The image shows Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström (Social Democratic Party) and Amineh Kakabaveh (-) in an interpellation debate.
Photo: Melker Dahlstrand

An interpellation is a question addressed by a member of the Riksdag to a Government minister. The question should concern some aspect of the minister's work.

The purpose of an interpellation is often to examine or raise a particular problem. The minister is obliged to answer within 14 days and the reply must be presented both in writing and orally. After the minister has answered the interpellation in the Chamber, a debate is held between the member and the minister. The debates are open to all members of the Riksdag that wish to participate.

The right to address questions to the Government is one element of the parliamentary control instruments. Members of the Riksdag can put both oral and written questions to the Government. Thousands of questions are usually asked during the course of a parliamentary year.

Question Time

Every week there is a question-and-answer session in the Chamber when the Government answers oral questions from members of the Riksdag. Here Matilda Ernkrans (Social Democratic Party), Minister for Higher Education and Research, answers a question from member Roger Haddad (Liberal Party).
Photo: Melker Dahlstrand

Question Time with the Government is held on Thursdays at 2 p.m. These sessions are attended by four Government ministers who come to answer questions from members of the Riksdag.

The ministers do not see the questions in advance. Both questions and answers must be brief and should, in principle, not exceed 1 minute each. Approximately once a month the Prime Minister answers questions alone. This is known as the Prime Minister's Question Time. All sessions are broadcast live on Swedish television.

The right to address questions to the Government is one element of the parliamentary control instruments. Members of the Riksdag can put both oral and written questions to the Government. Thousands of questions are usually asked during the course of a parliamentary year.

Information from the Government

From time to time the Government provides information to the Riksdag about topical issues. The minister responsible for the issue to be raised then attends this session in the Chamber.

After a minister has presented an issue, members of the Riksdag can submit comments or address questions to the minister. The Prime Minister usually provides information to the Riksdag after EU summits with the heads of state and government in the European Council.

Debates on a topical subject

On 30 August 2018, a current affairs debate was held on the efforts to extinguish the summer’s widespread forest fires. Minister for Justice Morgan Johansson (Social Democratic Party) answered questions. At the rostrum Mikael Oscarsson (Christian Democrats).
Photo: Anders Löwdin

A party can request that the Riksdag hold a debate on a certain topical subject, such as schools, healthcare or the situation in the police forces.

In consultation with the party group leaders, the Speaker then decides if and when such a debate is to be held. The Government minister responsible for the issue participates in the debate.

Debates between party leaders

During the debate between party leaders, the leaders of all the parties represented in the Riksdag have the opportunity to argue in favour of the policies they wish to pursue. Three such debates are held each year.

The first debate between party leaders of a new parliamentary year (session) takes place in October, at the end of the general private members' motions period. Debates between party leaders are also held in January and in June.

Foreign policy debate

Yasmine Posio (Left Party) raised the issue of development cooperation policy during her speech at the foreign policy debate in 2019. To the right sits Kerstin Lundgren. She is the Centre Party’s foreign policy spokesperson and Third Deputy Speaker.
Photo: Anders Löwdin

The Riksdag holds a debate on Sweden's foreign policy, including Sweden's relations with other countries, in February each year.

The debate begins with a presentation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Statement of Government Policy on Foreign Affairs.

One of the tasks of the Riksdag is to shape Swedish foreign policy together with the Government. Traditionally the Government has had considerable responsibility for Swedish foreign policy. However, in parallel with increasing internationalisation, the Riksdag's involvement in foreign policy has grown.

General policy debate

Elisabeth Svantesson (Moderate Party) and Ali Esbati (Left Party) during the general policy debate in the autumn of 2018.
Photo: Anders Löwdin

During the general policy debate, all members of the Riksdag are given the opportunity to speak about a subject of their choice.

The debate usually takes place in the autumn, after the general private members' period. It often continues for several days. The Speaker decides if and when a general policy debate is to be held in consultation with the party group leaders.

The EU in the Chamber

EU matters are debated in the Chamber of the Riksdag, and these debates are open to everyone. In this way, the Chamber is important in promoting transparency, openness and public debate around EU matters.

All documents from the EU that are to be considered by the Riksdag are announced in the Chamber. They are then forwarded to the parliamentary committee responsible for the matter at hand. The task of the committee is to prepare a proposal which is then debated and decided on in the Chamber.

Debates and information

The members debate EU issues in the Chamber in a number of contexts, and not only when considering EU-related proposals. Debates may also be held after a minister has answered an interpellation, during Question Time on Thursdays, or for a specific purpose.

The Government also provides regular information in the Chamber on various EU matters. These include the Prime Minister's reports following meetings with the EU heads of state or government in the European Council.

The Yearbook on the EU

Every year the Riksdag holds a more general EU policy debate. The debate is based on the Yearbook on the EU. This is a written communication from the Government to the Riksdag on activities in the EU and what the Government has done in the EU.

The Chamber examines the work of the Government

The Chamber has various ways of monitoring the Government's way of conducting its work with EU issues. By means of interpellations and question times, the members of the Riksdag can address questions to the Government ministers. This often leads to debate.

If there is strong criticism in the Riksdag of the Government's actions, 35 members can propose a declaration of no confidence in the Government or an individual minister. If at least 175 of the 349 members of the Riksdag vote in favour of the proposal, the Government or minister must resign from office. However, the Riksdag cannot formally invalidate a decision that the Government has contributed to making in the EU Council of Ministers.

Agreements must be approved by the Chamber

Sweden's membership of the EU means that the Riksdag has handed over many of its decision-making rights on many legislative issues to the EU institutions. Any amendments to Sweden's agreements with the EU must, however, be approved in the Chamber first.

EU matters in the Riksdag

As a result of Sweden's membership of the EU, the Riksdag is no longer the only body with the authority to decide what laws will apply in Sweden. It shares this role with the EU institutions. The Riksdag deals with EU-related matters in many different ways.